The Last ElfChild
by Greywind Elf
Summary: an orphaned elf is rescued by Aragorn and another orphan, a young hobbit named Poppy. But when Laurelen decides to follow the Fellowship on their quest, trouble starts. I'm trying to think up a new title. Any suggestions?
1. Chapter one

It was a beautiful summer evening in Bree. The sun was just going down, and there were crickets chirping in the bushes It was just cool enough so that the flies weren't buzzing around everywhere. There was a gentle breeze blowing, and an adventurous you hobbit (adventurous for a hobbit, anyway), named Poppy Gardener, was out on a walk. She was not expecting anything to happen on the quiet slopes outside the little town, but what happened that night would forever affect her life.  
  
As she ambled along, she started hearing noises in the trees and bushes that were the start of a thick forest. As the noises got closer, Poppy started to get uneasy. But, being a naturally curious person, she hid behind a rock to watch. A person stumbled into view, sides heaving and legs on the verge of collapse. He? she? tripped over a branch on the ground and fell hard. As the figure lay gasping and groaning on the ground, Poppy's curiosity finally overcame her sense of caution, and she crept closer to the now- still form. She was soon close enough to see the tattered, travel-stained clothes. And also close enough to see blood soaking through the back of the tunic. Pity replaced any remaining fear and common sense, and Poppy found herself helping the strange person up. With another heart-rending groan, the figure stood, leaning heavily on Poppy and slouching over. The hobbit looked up at the person momentarily, but then had to concentrate on staying standing under the weight leaning on her. But in that one brief glance, she saw a female face, young, and very dirty. Poppy noticed that she seemed rather tall, even though she was almost bent double. She was also very slender. Finally, the girl seemed able to stand on her own. She said something in a strange tongue that Poppy couldn't understand. The girl seemed to realize this, and tried again. "Not safe" was all she could get out, in a very strange accent. But Poppy soon understood what was being said, and not a moment too soon, for off in the distance they could hear hoof beats. 


	2. Chapter two

The girl appeared to be panicking. Her limbs were trembling, and her golden eyes were wide with fear. She yelled out a word that Poppy couldn't understand the meaning of, but she understood the urgency behing it. "Lendie!" They took off at a run. Poopy would not have been able to keep up at all if the girl hadn't been in such a state of total exhaustion. Poppy noticed that the girl, even though tired, ran with a gracefulness that none of the humans she had been raised around could match. She also noticed that the girl looked...well, different. But she was so filthy, and her clothes were so tattered that anyone would have mistaken her for a beggar. They were soon within the gates of the town, and Poppy told the gatekeeper to shut them quickly. She did not know who the riders were behind them, but she knew from the terror in the stranger's eyes that they could not be good. Once safe, the girl collapsed once more, and this time she didn't move at all, just lay there gasping, limbs trembling. Poppy asked the gatekeeper to watch her, though the girl seemed to have passed out by now, so it didn't make much difference. The gatekeeper agreed reluctantly, but stayed a fair way away from the girl. Poppy was soon back with Barliaman Butterbur, innkeeper at the Prancing Pony, and a considerable crowd following behind. As they approached the girl, who was now lying on her side on the hard cobblestones, Poppy was explaining everything that had happened. Butterbur paused and asked, "And what do ye expect me to do about this? I know nothin' of healing, and ye tell me this girl is hurt." There was some commotion among the crowd as a tall dark man pushed his way through to the front. "I could not help overhearing your remark, Butterbur." "Ah, Strider," Butterbur noted suspiciously. "And do ye wish to do something about it?" "Yes, if you will allow me to. I am not without skill as a healer, and this.girl.is badly injured. Would it be possible to bring her to your inn?" He bent over to peer at the still form, and seemed to nod to himself. "I.all right," Butterbur answered hesitantly. Strider said nothing, just bent over and gently lifted the girl. As he walked toward the inn, the rest of the crowd dispersed to gossip about the incident and speculate as to who this stranger was. The gatekeeper forgot about his post and went to gossip with the others. No one noticed when two harsh, evil-looking men rode up and pounded on the gate, and then rode away disgusted when nobody answered.  
  
* * *  
  
Once at the inn, Strider had Poppy, who had been following him, clear off a table in an empty room. He set the girl on it carefully, face down. Her breathing had slowed to an almost normal pace, and he took that as a good sign. He slowly, gently began to remove the outer tunic, sometimes cutting it with a small sharp knife he pulled from his belt. Butterbur was standing in the room, watching, but he gasped and turned away when he saw how much blood was really on the girl's back. Her under tunic was totally red and shiny from the blood, where before it had been white, as they could tell from a few patches that blood had not soaked. Even Strider seemed a little worried. "Butterbur," he said, "get me a bowl of warm water and a clean rag." Butterbur hurried to do Strider's bidding, anxious to get away from such a gruesome sight. When he got back a few minutes later, Strider had slit the shirt down the back, and was pulling it away to the sides. It stuck to drying blood but he finally got it peeled back. He had to sit there for nearly a whole minute when he saw what had happened. The girl's back was an absolute mess. Much of the skin was gone, and what was left was shredded. The wounds had almost stopped bleeding, but that just made the sight that much worse. Every time she breathed, a little more blood would come to the surface. Finally, Strider recovered himself and began to sponge away the clotting blood. The girl cried out at first, and then whimpered every time he touched her back with the rag. But many anxious minutes later, the blood was almost all gone, and they could truly see the extent of the damage that had happened. The bleeding had now stopped, but there was exposed muscle that was even worse to look at. Strider took some long rolls of cloth out of his pack, and proceeded to wrap the girl with them. Finally, she was bandaged. He gently turned her over and asked Barliaman for a clean rag. The old innkeeper complied hastily. Strider wet it with what was left of the water and used it to wipe off the girl's face. She seemed to flinch away from his touch at first, but gradually relaxed. Her eyes were still closed. When he was finished with her face, all three of them were astounded at the change. Her skin was smooth and clear. Her face was like, and yet unlike, any human face. "Why, she looks like a.a." "An elf, Master Butterbur," Strider finished for him. "But.but they have not been seen in these parts for a hundred years! They are. or were. no more than a legend." "Yes, and what is legend but history that has been forgotten?" 


	3. Chapter three

When the elf-girl awoke, she was startled at first to find herself in a room on a bed. She hissed between her teeth when she realized that there was a man seated nearby, singing to himself. But she was soon quiet again; the song sounded vaguely familiar to her. But the man stopped singing as soon as he saw that she was awake. She watched him with wide frightened eyes as he began to talk to her in tongues that also sounded familiar. But finally he hit upon the one that she recognized. He did not seem startled when he found that it was the High Elven tongue. The girl realized that her back was bandaged, and came to the conclusion that it must have been this man that had cleaned and wrapped it. He began to ask her questions, but she wasn't very responsive. She wasn't going to trust him just because he spoke her language, even as rare as it was for a human to speak an elvish tongue. Finally he stopped and just watched her for a while. Then he said, "I am Aragorn. May I ask for your name, at least?" She regarded him suspiciously for a moment, and then mumbled, "Laurelen." He looked surprised for a moment. "You were named in the High Tongue?" She only nodded. At that moment the door opened, and Poppy came tip- toeing into the room. Suddenly she found herself under the stare of two bright gold eyes. That was the first thing she noticed about the girl. The eyes. They were like twin stars. Aragorn had noticed this too, and supposed, correctly, that this was the reason for her name. Laurelen meant "star of gold-color" in High Elven. "Are you feeling better?" Poppy asked. Laurelen looked confused and turned to Aragorn. "Man-ië?" "She asks if you are better," Aragorn translated. Laurelen turned to Poppy and nodded. Then she hesitantly added, "I.thank. you." Her Common speech was hesitant and broken, and very hard to understand because of her accent. But she got her point across. Aragorn turned back to Poppy. "She'll be just fine, though I've never seen one of her kind so tired." "Who is she?" "Her name is Laurelen. She is a very young elf." Poppy looked at Laurelen again with wonder. But Aragorn herded her out of the room, saying that the girl needed rest. "Áva auta!" Laurelen cried. Aragorn turned and looked back as she began talking rapidly to him in her tongue. When he understood what she was trying to say, he turned to Poppy and said, "She wishes to thank you again for helping her. She said she wishes to see you again soon, if you must leave, but if you would stay, she would be glad of the company." Aragorn smiled as he heard the rest of what she said. "And she's hungry." "Oh!" Poppy exclaimed, and ran out of the room toward the main room of the inn to ask Butterbur for some food. "I am in need of some nourishment myself, so I too shall go," Aragorn said. He turned and walked out of the room, and Laurelen settled back to wait. She was not kept long. Poppy was soon back with enough food for both of them. She helped Laurelen sit up again, and set a tray on her lap with hot food and a glass of water on it. Poppy then set her own tray on the bedside table, and, with no further formalities, began to eat. Laurelen watched with amazement at the young hobbit's appetite, and then began to eat her own food. She had not had such good food for years. When their appetites had been whetted and they were eating more slowly, Poppy began to point out things in the room and name them in hopes of overcoming the language barrier. Laurelen would repeat the words, some of which she already knew, and then tell Poppy the word for it in her language. Poppy had the easier task of remembering, for this is the way with elvish words. Laurelen sometimes had to struggle to name something. But it was a beginning. And it was a good beginning, not only of communication, but of a long and lasting friendship. 


	4. Chapter four

Over the next few months, Laurelen stayed in Bree with Aragorn, and her back slowly healed from its horrible wounds. She recovered from the near-starved condition she had been in when Poppy found her. She also grew to trust Aragorn, and he and Poppy were the only two people she would speak to, or even acknowledge.  
  
When she had sufficiently healed, Aragorn decided it was time to take her back to live with her own race. He told her he was taking her to Rivendell. She was not overjoyed at the prospect, for, as she explained to him, she was not sure how she would fit in among them anymore. But when he questioned her further she wouldn't say anything else. She also hesitated at leaving Bree because that meant leaving Poppy. They were very good friends by now, and Laurelen knew she would be lonely without the cheery hobbit to talk to.  
  
Poppy was not happy with the situation, either. She begged Aragorn and Laurelen not to go. But Laurelen tearfully told her that she felt this was something that had to happen. "It may be that I will be able to piece together the shards that remain of my life and be at peace," Laurelen explained. She had still not told either of them anything about her past.  
  
Aragorn left on an unexplained errand, but he was back in two days, and said it was time to leave. "I have horses. They are not fast, but they are sturdy. We leave at sunrise."  
  
Laurelen did not sleep at all that night. Somehow, she did not feel a need for it. Instead she wandered outside to watch the stars. "A Elbereth! Your light shines brightly, but still I cannot see my way. My heart is torn in two!" she lamented. She spent the rest of the night sitting outside against a fence, trying to restore her piece of mind. Poppy was in a similar state, but she took action instead of letting the sorrow overcome her. She quietly packed a bag with enough provisions for two weeks, and then crept silently out the door down to the gate, where she hid behind a bush to await the dawn, which was but an hour away.  
  
* * *  
  
Just as he had promised, Aragorn and Laurelen rode through the gate and out onto the road just as the sun was coming over the hills. After waiting for the longest five minutes of her life, Poppy slipped through the gate and began following them. She was hard-pressed to keep up, for though the horses did not move fast, neither did they tire easily.  
  
On they went, the two on horses in front, Poppy following. They only stopped to eat a noon meal, and then to sleep at night. They did not catch Poppy following until the third night.  
  
Aragorn went out to search for fuel for a fire, and, coming back, he noticed the hobbit-prints. He would never have seen them, except it had rained a few nights ago and there was deep mud. He followed them and found Poppy sound asleep, curled up on a grassy area. He left her there, and went back to where he had left Laurelen eating.  
  
"Come with me," he said quietly. "There is someone following us." Laurelen's face turned very white, for he spoke in a very serious voice. But she got up and followed him. He led her right to where Poppy was and quietly pointed the slumbering hobbit out.  
  
Poppy was awakened by soft footsteps. She had very keen ears for a hobbit, and an ability to wake herself up at a noise. All she could see were two dark shapes standing near her. Her first instinct was to grab the stout walking stick that was lying on the ground beside her. She stood up and shouted, "Don't you come any nearer! I'll beat ya with my stick."  
  
At this point, one of the people promptly sat down and seemed to be crying. Then Poppy realized, no, it didn't sound like crying. The person who was still standing had his hand over his mouth. Finally, the one on the ground seemed able to stand it no longer. He fell over laughing. At this point, Poppy realized it wasn't a he; it was a she. And she had a very familiar laugh. The standing one finally lit a match, and the hobbit blushed when she found Aragorn standing before her. Laurelen was still rolling on the ground laughing in a very undignified way.  
  
Poppy blushed again and tried to explain herself. "Well sir, y'see. I just. it wasn't." she stuttered, and finally she blurted out, "I didn't want to be left alone!"  
  
Aragorn laughed again, "Well then, little friend, we shall just have to bring you with us. I admire such dedication, especially in one so small, and I'm sure Laurelen will be glad of your company. But what about your family?"  
  
"Well, sir, I haven't got any, y'see, not as far back as I can remember. I was raised by Mr. Butterbur at the inn, he's got such a good heart, but I never had any parents, and no friends neither, till I met her," Poppy said, pointed at Laurelen, who was now sitting upright, trying very hard to follow the conversation.  
  
Laurelen now offered up her own part of the conversation. "Then come. We have enough food, for halflings such as yourself, enough. Tomorrow, you ride. I will walk." Her grammar was still a little sketchy, but it was improving.  
  
But Aragorn turned to her and spoke in her own tongue. "I had hoped to travel fast tomorrow. Are you sure you are strong enough to run? There is threat of a storm, and I want to get as far as we can while the road is still good."  
  
"I will be fine. Do not worry."  
  
"Then let us finish this night's rest, and we will start early." 


	5. Chapter five

A/N: This is something I forgot to do in the first chapter, so I'm putting it here because I am too lazy to go back and fix it. DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for Laurelen, Poppy, and Solenna. This story is based on The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, and all the places, languages, and other characters belong to him.  
  
It took a fortnight more of fast travel to get to Rivendell, during which time Poppy rode, Laurelen ran, and Aragorn alternated between both. Poppy became very strong and tough. She fell off the horse a few times, but luckily it wasn't a very tall one. Laurelen stayed with her the whole time, running easily on light feet. A few times Poppy got off and ran, too. She was surprisingly fast for one so small. But she could not keep going for very long at high speeds.  
  
Finally, after a long exhausting journey, they arrived at Rivendell. Laurelen had given up on running, and was riding the horse with Poppy in front of her. All the exertion had taken its toll on her already weakened body. But eventually they reached the river that guarded Rivendell. As they entered the valley, Laurelen stopped short.  
  
"I have been here before," she said. "The feels and smells are familiar, but very far away."  
  
Aragorn watched her silently for a moment, then continued down the narrow trail leading to the bottom of the valley. Poppy was immediately behind him, almost tripping over herself as she gawked at the landscape and, as they got lower down, at the elves who were wandering about, laughing and singing. Laurelen was lost in memory, and did not even notice the other elves who turned to look at her. They turned to each other and began whispering among themselves. Poppy notice that Laurelen looked almost nothing like them. The other elves had mostly light golden-blond hair, and their eyes were grey or blue. Laurelen, by contrast, had light brown hair with a golden hue to it. Her eyes were gold also. One had to look twice to see that she was, in fact, an elf.  
  
They walked their horses toward the large stone structure that was built into one side of the valley. It was a beautiful work, a fortress almost, that was very open and airy. There were trees that grew in spaces of grass between individual buildings. Plants grew wild, but it was a beautiful kind of wildness. They left the horses in the care of one of the elves and Aragorn led them into the great, beautiful fortress. Poppy walked in awe, with her mouth hanging open. Laurelen looked about her in a sort of troubled way. She seemed very ill at ease, and started every time a new person would appear. Aragorn led them up to an elf who was sitting next to a tree in the sunshine, singing softly to herself. But she stood when she saw them walking up, and greeted Aragorn with a smile.  
  
They spoke to each other softly in Elvish. Poppy couldn't understand what they were saying, and Laurelen was too deep in thought to bother. She had a troubled expression on her face, and kept clenching her jaw and fists tightly and then loosening them. Her bright eyes roved around their surroundings, taking in everything. She jumped when Aragorn touched her lightly on the shoulder.  
  
He spoke to her and Poppy. "This is Arwen." He gestured toward the elf standing next to him. Her hair was dark, almost black, and her eyes were grey.  
  
She smiled at them, and Poppy unhesitatingly smiled back. Laurelen seemed unsure of herself, but managed a tentative smile. Arwen looked at her for a moment, with a strange expression on her face. It was a mix of pity, recognition and, for a moment, uncertainty. But soon she turned back to Aragorn. "You must tell my father that you are back, and about our guests. I will take them and get them settled in."  
  
Aragorn nodded and turned away. Laurelen looked frightened for a moment, but Arwen led them to a room nearby and she soon found other things to think about.  
  
The elf showed them the room, and there were clean clothes for both of them on chairs. Poppy asked how they knew to get the clothes and everything ready, and Arwen laughed and answered, "There are scouts that patrol the entrance to this valley. They told us of your coming nearly two days ago. Please, feel free to walk about. I will have hot water brought in for you to bathe, and then you may change." Arwen turned to Laurelen and said something in Elvish. The young elf looked grateful at whatever was said, and even smiled at Arwen as she left.  
  
"What did she say?" Poppy asked. She had learned some of the Elvish languages from Laurelen, but not enough to follow a conversation very well.  
  
Laurelen did not answer immediately. But finally she said, "She told me not to be afraid, for this valley is well guarded from evil." Laurelen paused, debating whether to say the rest. "And she said welcome home." 


	6. Chapter six

Poppy and Laurelen were left alone in the room. Soon, another elf brought hot water for them and left silently. The hobbit wasted no time in washing and dressing in the new clothes, which were by far the nicest she had ever worn. Laurelen just stood there, looking rather dazed. "Aren't you going to get dressed?" Poppy asked, making Laurelen shudder as she came out of her trance.  
  
"Uh? Oh, yes. I am sorry, but all of this," she made an expansive gesture, "reminds me of many things I have not remembered in a long time. About my life before." Here she trailed off. Her mouth closed and Poppy caught a glimpse of pain in her friend's eyes before they acquired the shielded look that the young hobbit had come to know too well. Every time this subject came up, Laurelen seemed to close herself off in a hard shell, and wouldn't talk to anyone for hours afterward. Not that she talked to anyone except Aragorn and Poppy anyway.  
  
Staying silent, Laurelen washed and put on the clothes that had been laid out for her. She looked strangely uncomfortable in the dress. Poppy had never seen her dressed in any clothes other than the rags she had been found in, and later in the spare breeches and tunic Aragorn had given her. The hobbit was surprised at the change. She looks more like an elf, Poppy thought to herself.  
  
There was a knock on the door, and Arwen entered carrying a tray with food on it. "I thought you would like to eat by yourself for tonight." Her voice hinted that someone else had given her this idea, and Laurelen nodded gratefully. She did not feel like meeting anyone else yet.  
  
Arwen left the tray on a table by the door. The smell of food was almost overpowering. They had not eaten since breakfast, and it was evening now. The elf and the hobbit fell to, Laurelen almost outdoing Poppy in the quantity of food consumed.  
  
They finished quickly. And Poppy decided she wanted to go for a walk. Laurelen would have rather stayed in the room, but she didn't want to be left alone. So she followed Poppy.  
  
The hobbit wandered about in the halls of the fortress for a while, Laurelen close behind and looking about nervously whenever they encountered anyone else. Finally they went outside, and the elf girl breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone else was inside, either still eating or wandering about on various missions. The stars were just coming out, and both of them just stood there for a while watching them wink and twinkle in the dusk.  
  
Laurelen heard soft footsteps behind them and whirled around, breathing in relief when she saw Arwen standing there. "My father bids you to come to the council courtyard. He wishes to speak with you."  
  
Poppy and Laurelen found themselves following her again. She led them to a huge open courtyard with many chairs placed in a circle. But as they walked in, Laurelen saw the people gathered there and stopped dead. She backed up from the arched entrance and stood in the shadows. Poppy and Arwen didn't notice and continued on. Aragorn got up to meet them as all of the gathered turned toward them. "Arwen," he said, "where is the young one?"  
  
Arwen turned around and realized Laurelen had not followed her. But before she could say anything, Aragorn spotted the golden eyes peering out from the dark shadows. Laurelen had heard him speak, but still would not come out of her comfortable darkness. He told her to come forward, but she snarled a word at him and retreated farther back.  
  
The Ranger turned helplessly toward one of the other elves in the council circle. He sat in the most ornately carved chair, and was one of the few other dark-haired elves around. He stood quietly and with grace. His face was neither old nor young, and his deep blue eyes held both sternness and gentleness. He spoke to Laurelen softly from where he stood. Poppy was at this point finding it really irritating that she could not follow any of the conversations that went on because they were all in Elvish. She could speak some, but the language Laurelen had taught her was different from the one spoken in Rivendell.  
  
But the elf's words had the desired effect upon Laurelen. She cautiously edged out of the shadow where she stood. The other elves refrained from looking her way, and instead turned back toward the center of the circle. Aragorn and Arwen took their seats, leaving her and Poppy alone on the edge of the circle. Poppy did not seem in the least intimidated, but Laurelen was shaking and her eyes kept darting back and forth nervously. She could meet no ones' eyes.  
  
The raven-haired elf spoke again, this time in Common for Poppy's benefit. "Welcome to Rivendell, young ones. I am Elrond, master of this house and the valley. We have summoned you to this council so that we may help you answer some questions about yourselves, and also so that we may answer some of our own questions. But in order to do this, I will need your trust and confidence. I know you have been hurt in your life," he was now speaking directly to Laurelen, "but I am asking you to trust your own kindred. We wish to help you, not hurt you."  
  
Laurelen still looked nervous, but she nodded. Aragorn motioned Poppy over to stand next to him, so Laurelen was alone. But she didn't even notice. She was buried in memories, trying to bring back what she had buried to keep away the pain. It was no easy thing Elrond was asking her to do. Finally she looked up and asked, "What do you wish to know?"  
  
"Everything. But start at the beginning. What is your first memory?"  
  
"My first memory. It has been so long."  
  
Elrond chuckled. "Maybe for you, young one. You are barely to your first century." The other elves smiled knowingly.  
  
Laurelen seemed to loosen up at the mild teasing. "My first memory is of a stream and grassy meadows, surrounded by steep mountains." She was speaking slowly and thoughtfully. "It is a valley. And there is a fortress in it with many other elves." Her eyes widened. "It must be this valley. Rivendell. I was wondering. I thought it looked so familiar here. And I remember an elf with dark hair and." Laurelen broke off. She looked hard at Elrond. He smiled almost imperceptibly and nodded.  
  
"Yes, it is myself you are remembering, and Rivendell. Continue, Laurelen."  
  
"I remember Rivendell more clearly now." She stopped and rubbed her forehead. "I buried these memories long ago. It is hard to bring them back again.  
  
"I remember living here when I was very young, playing in the stream, climbing about on the grass. But with my parents." Laurelen almost choked, but recovered and took a deep breath. "We traveled often. I remember that. But we always came back here, where it was safe and quiet. My parents went often to distant lands, and took me with them. They spoke many languages, and were teaching me. But they never told me what they traveled for.  
  
"But one day, when we were heading back to Rivendell.here, something happened." Laurelen broke off and could not continue. Her face twisted as she tried to keep from crying, but she would say nothing more for a long time. 


	7. Chapter seven

Laurelen stood silently for nearly half an hour. The elves waited patiently, but even Aragorn was looking impatient by the time the girl spoke again. She took in a deep breath and seemed to hold it for a few moments.  
  
Elrond asked softly, "What happened, young one?"  
  
Laurelen turned to him with pain-filled eyes. "It was night, I remember. The wind was blowing, and it was raining. We could not hear anything, and my father could barely see the trail. But he and my mother refused to stop and wait out the storm. I was wet, cold, and wanted to be safe, but I said nothing. My father was carrying me, so I could not complain. Every once in a while, he would look back over his shoulder and listen anxiously. But I was too tired and miserable to notice what he had seen. He looked over his shoulder again, and he and my mother broke into a run. He set me down as he was running, and the fear in his hands and his face made me run with them. I had never known true terror before, but now I was running before its snapping jaws. My father stumbled beside me and fell. My mother stopped, but bid me to run on. I could not."  
  
Laurelen's face contorted. "I disobeyed my parents, and suffered. My father had not tripped. He was shot in the leg by an arrow. Then they came, bounding over the soaked earth and through the rain. I did not see them until they surrounded us." The girl stopped. Her lips curled back in a feral snarl, and her eyes grew hot with hate. Aragorn and Poppy looked startled, but the elves only waited. Two of them sat tensely in their chairs, as if they knew what was coming. The dark-haired twin sons of Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir. In their eyes burned a flame identical to the fire in Laurelen's eyes.  
  
The elf girl finally spit out a single word. It carried fifty years of rage and anger and pain. "Orcs."  
  
"They surrounded us. There was no escape. My father lay wounded on the ground, and my mother prepared to die to protect him and her child. Me.  
  
"One of those horrible creatures came forward with a spear and prodded my father with its sharp end." Laurelen's eyes gleamed. "He would have been wiser to stay where he was. My father was up in a flash, and had his sword buried in its ugly throat as its black blood spilled over onto the ground.  
  
"Then the rest of the orcs came alive. The rest of the night was very confusing for me. My parents fought bravely. I remember little except my father's sword flashing, and my mother's twin daggers. I curled up in a little ball between their legs and tried to shut it all out. I had never seen battle before, and I did not like it.  
  
"I saw my mother fall beside me, and my father fighting furiously. I was afraid, but now I could feel anger growing in me. I took the daggers from my mother's still hands and stood beside my father. The orcs saw me and laughed. I came barely halfway up my father's ribs. But they soon stopped laughing. I lost myself in the battle to blind hate and anger, even as young as I was. But soon it was over. My father lay beside my feet. He gave his life protecting me. The orcs took me and bound me. More lost their lives because of this, but in the end, I could not move because the ropes bit so deeply."  
  
Laurelen halted, and grief twisted her face. She turned her eyes to the sky, and they filled with tears. She turned back to her audience, and said only one more thing. Her voice was tight from straining not to cry. "I will tell you no more, except to say that I would rather die than go through what has happened to me again. It is sufficient to say that I was sold as a slave and suffered long years at the hands of men. I would that I had died with my parents that horrible night." Her voice cracked, and she fled the courtyard, head low and eyes full of tears.  
  
The two sons of Elrond watched her go, their own faces shadowed with grief. They looked to their father, but a bare shake of his head dissuaded them from whatever they had wanted to do.  
  
The silence that followed the elf-girl's exit was broken by an impatient shuffle of Poppy's foot. All attention turned to her, and she grew red with embarrassment.  
  
Elrond spoke to her now. "Tell us how you came to be in the company of Aragorn."  
  
So Poppy told her story of being orphaned ("no one knows what happened to my parents") and how a fat old innkeeper named Barliaman Butterbur raised her, and then that summer evening when she met the wounded elf. "It was then that I realized I had no friends. Laurelen became my first and only friend. So when it came time for her to leave, I followed, because I did not want to be separated from her." Poppy eyed everyone suspiciously. "You won't send me back, will you?"  
  
Elrond looked at her gravely. "No, indeed we will not. She will need a friend in the long days to come." He sighed. "I fear that there is much pain that she must go through still.  
  
"But now, it is nearly time to eat. We shall meet in the dining hall in half an hour." 


	8. Chapter eight

After a meal that even Laurelen could not fail to enjoy, Elrond and Aragorn were walking outside under the darkening sky out of the earshot of others.  
  
"How does Laurelen seem to you, Elrond?" Aragorn asked.  
  
The lord of Rivendell sighed. "That is something I wish to speak with you about. She has been here such a short time, that I cannot tell for sure how she is. She seems well enough looking from the outside, but inside. She has seen much hardship, and there is worse that she did not say. But the thing which worries me most is when I see her eyes." Elrond paused and frowned. "Her eyes. they are shadowed, clouded like a dead thing's eyes. Every once in a while, something will lift the veil and a spark can be seen." He smiled sadly and turned to look at Aragorn. "But when you have lived as long as I, you learn to see past veiled eyes and faces. I have seen what lies behind, and it makes me all the more afraid for her.  
  
"They are cold, Aragorn, colder than the ice on the mountains. And at the same time, they burn like a smith's fire. It is anger, hate, and a need for revenge that kept her alive when you found her.  
  
"Still, there is hope for her. I watch her with the young halfling, and with my daughter, and even with you. You three seem to be the only ones she trusts, and when she is around you, she lets part of the wall that she has built between herself and the world come down. The road to healing will be long and hard for her, but there is hope that she will succeed."  
  
Aragorn nodded slowly. "I feel much the same as you. But until the healing comes, what is to be done?"  
  
Elrond looked at him closely. "I see your meaning. You cannot always be in Rivendell, and the young one is uneasy outside of your company." He sighed again. "This has created a great burden on all of us. We shall hold a council again in a few days to decide what shall be done."  
  
* * *  
  
The council was held nearly a week later, directly following the evening meal. Laurelen and Poppy were not told of it, and Aragorn was absent on the grounds that this was an Elf matter, and there was no need to involve a Man in it. Elrond excused him, but told him cryptically that he was more involved than he realized. Aragorn asked what he meant, but Elrond simply said that they would speak together later.  
  
As the members of the council sat in their chairs, Elrond began without ceremony. "I have called you this evening so we may decide the fates of the young halfling and elf. The questions before us are not only whether they should be allowed to stay, but what is to be done if they do or do not stay.  
  
"But before we come to any decisions, I wish to remind you of who this elf is, the youngest of our kindred. I know some of you remember the beginning of her line, but others among you were not yet born. It is to you that I speak." Here he looked mainly at his daughter and two sons, but also glanced at a few others. Finally he breathed in and began.  
  
"Many years ago, even by our reckoning, a line of elves was started. It was in the days when men first turned to evil, and suspicion grew between our two races. Given to us by Manwë, it was said, were elves who were more like men in appearance. They were to act as ambassadors, for it was thought that men would not distrust those who looked like them. However, this turned out false. Evil had corrupted men, and they were treacherous. So these elves were given a new task. They acted instead as spies, passing themselves off as men. They became warriors with sharp swords instead of sharp tongues. But their occupation was dangerous, and many died in duty. This child is the last of the line." Elrond looked around into the eyes of each of his council members.  
  
"All of you know her story, for she told it last time we came together. And now I ask, what is to be done?"  
  
The elves sat quietly, thinking and occasionally talking softly to one another. Finally one of them stood forward. "I see no harm in letting her stay here. There are few other places we may send her, and I do not think she would fare well in the golden wood. The only other possibility is sending her to Thranduil in Mirkwood. I hesitate to place such a burden on his shoulders. For a burden she may become." He looked hard at Elrond.  
  
The lord of Rivendell met his gaze. "Yes, Glorfindel, she may indeed become a burden on us. She has been through much pain, and more that she has not told us of. But there is another who has a part in this. Aragorn, son of Arathorn. She looks to him as a daughter to her father. I fear that to separate her from the little support she has would destroy her.  
  
"But are we all in agreement? I wish to hear what others would say."  
  
One of Elrond's sons stood forward now. "I agree with my father and with Glorfindel that Laurelen should stay in Rivendell. But I wish to add another point. She has suffered much the same as my mother, though she survived, and my mother has passed on to the Undying Lands. There are none of you here who would have grudged my mother the care and support should she have stayed in Middle-Earth. I think that the young one deserves the same."  
  
"Well said, my son. Are we all in agreement over this issue?" Heads nodded around the circle. "Then, on to another issue. What of the halfling?"  
  
Now Arwen stood forward, much to the surprise of the elves. She rarely spoke at council. "I have seen these two together. They are like sisters, and to separate them would be cruel. The halfling, Poppy, has nowhere else to go, and no other friends than Laurelen. Laurelen needs Poppy as much as Poppy needs her."  
  
Again there was a wave of heads nodding around the circle. Elrond bowed his head for a moment, and then spoke. "It is decided, then. Poppy and Laurelen shall stay in Rivendell. But what will happen to them remains to be seen. This council is dismissed." 


	9. Chapter nine

As Elrond foresaw, healing was slow in coming to the young one, as Laurelen came to be called. It was nearly six months before she would speak to anyone other than Poppy, Arwen, or Aragorn without being told to. And all the while she grew more dependant upon the Ranger. She looked to him for guidance and rarely left his side, becoming more like a shadow than a separate person. And if she could not be found with him, then she was with Arwen or Poppy, who remained her only friend.  
  
After two years in Rivendell, Laurelen was a different person. Some of the pain and distrust began to leave her eyes, and she became friendlier. She smiled more often, and they were not the sarcastic, troubled smiles of before. But she never laughed, and she could not look anyone in the eyes. She remained very quiet, speaking only out of necessity. Some could still see the hopeless look in her eyes when she thought no one was watching her. But her pain and scars were healing, even if it happened slowly.  
  
Then the messenger came from the North. He rode a tired but proud horse, whose rough coat was drenched with sweat and caked with mud. Scouts saw him well before he reached Rivendell, but let him go on. He rode into the valley as quickly as his mount could take him, and jumped off as he reached the fortress. Poppy and Laurelen were sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine. The stranger's eyes widened momentarily when he saw the halfling, but he immediately began speaking rapidly to Laurelen in Elvish.  
  
Now it was Laurelen's time to look surprised. But she could not dwell on this thought because of the urgency of his message. She leapt to her feet and sprinted off. Poppy was left there looking rather bewildered. Because there seemed nothing else for her to do, she offered to take the stranger's horse, which was panting heavily. He nodded gratefully and handed the reins to her. Poppy started for the stables, leading the animal.  
  
Meanwhile, Laurelen was running through the halls with all her speed and strength, dodging other elves and various chairs and tables. Finally she came to an open courtyard and found whom she was searching for. She slid to a stop near Aragorn, but lost her balance in her haste and fell. She rolled quickly to her feet and began to speak rapidly. Aragorn had risen to his feet to help her as soon as he saw her fall, but now found himself running behind her as she delivered her message and told him to follow her. He would have kept pace easily, except that his body was not as maneuverable as Laurelen's. She nimbly dodged obstacles, or simply leaped over them.  
  
Aragorn found her waiting for him near the stranger, though she obviously did not like being near him. He nodded to her as he tried to catch his breath, and she ran off again, this time to help Poppy.  
  
And so, because of her reluctance to be near any Man other than Aragorn, Laurelen nearly missed the news that he was leaving on a journey.  
  
On the morning of the day that he was going to leave, Elrond took him aside to speak with him. They walked about in the courtyards and hallways, where the flowers and trees were coming out of their winter hibernation.  
  
The lord of Rivendell walked slowly along. "What are you going to tell the young one?" he finally asked.  
  
Aragorn gave him a pained look. "I wasn't going to tell her."  
  
".because you don't want her to ask to come along," Elrond finished for him. "You will not let her go with you."  
  
"No." Aragorn's voice was sharper than he intended it to be.  
  
"You know that she looks to you as her father, even if you are of a different race."  
  
Aragorn sighed. "I know. But what would you have me do?"  
  
"I took you as my son, when you had nowhere else to turn."  
  
"I would not let my daughter go with me."  
  
"You may not have a choice." Elrond looked steadily at him, the corner of his mouth barely turning up as if he was hiding a smile.  
  
* * *  
  
Aragorn could not leave as early as he had intended, due to various things that had to be done. But he would not wait until the next day. He told no one except Elrond and Arwen why he was leaving.  
  
Not a single person saw Laurelen that whole day. This was reassuring to Aragorn, because if she had heard that he was leaving, then she would have been begging him to let her go along. Poppy disagreed with this, but said nothing and kept searching for her friend. Finally, after an exhausting day of exploring the entire fortress for possible places that Laurelen could be hiding, Poppy went to the rooms she shared with her friend.  
  
To her surprise, when she opened the door, there was the elf-girl. She was sitting calmly in a chair looking out the window at the sunset, as if she had been there all day. But no, Poppy could tell that she had been elsewhere. Laurelen's clothes were rather damp and dirty, and there were leaves stuck in her hair. She looked rather more like a human than like the elves Poppy had grown so accustomed to.  
  
"Where have you been all day?" Poppy asked anxiously. "I've been looking all over for you, and no one could tell me where you had gone."  
  
Laurelen raised one eyebrow. "No one could tell you, or no one would tell you?"  
  
Poppy opened her mouth, and then closed it again, frowning. "I don't know. Why?"  
  
"Anyone could easily have tracked me. I did not slink out of here like you seem to think. If you must know, I went to the stream that comes from the river. But now your searching is over. You have found me. And now I must ask you something."  
  
"What?" Poppy asked curiously. She was still a little hurt that her friend had not told her where she was going, and that the other elves had not said anything. The hobbit sighed. She would never understand elves.  
  
At her friend's sigh, Laurelen's face was lit up by a rare smile. Then her face sobered again as she tried to phrase her question. "Do you think. Would you be happy in Rivendell if I weren't here? 


	10. Chapter ten

Poppy was a little surprised at her friend's question, but she tried not to show it. She had heard nothing of Aragorn's plans to leave Rivendell, so she had no idea why Laurelen was asking this question. "Well, I don't know," she answered honestly. "I suppose I could. I guess it would depend on how long you were gone. I enjoy it here, and if Arwen didn't leave, then I suppose I wouldn't get too lonely." Poppy turned to her friend, suddenly suspicious. "Why do you ask?"  
  
Laurelen turned away before Poppy could see her face. "Do not worry about it. Go to sleep." She sat down on a chair, head bowed.  
  
Poppy lay back in bed, trying to sleep. But sleep did not come easily this night as it usually did. Finally she sat back up and turned to her friend. "Do you ever sleep, Lauri?"  
  
Laurelen smiled at the abbreviation of her name. "Sometimes." Her face was shadowed, so Poppy could not see the bleak look that came into her eyes. "When I cannot face the world any longer, then I sleep. But you need to sleep. Would it help if we sang?"  
  
Poppy nodded. "Yes, please! Sing with me!"  
  
Laurelen smiled softly, and began to sing one of the lays they had learned during their stay in Rivendell. Poppy listened for a moment, then joined in singing the melody. The elf picked up the harmony, and their soft voices interwove and floated on the cool night air. After a while, Poppy's eyelids started to droop, and her voice grew softer. The song ended, and Laurelen began another one, singing the melody this time. Poppy fell asleep to her friend's voice, and her dreams were quiet and peaceful.  
  
As soon as Poppy's even breathing announced her sleep, Laurelen ended her song and stood softly. She pulled on some dark grey breeches that she had begged off of Arwen. Arwen had laughed at the girl's reluctance to wear dresses and skirts, but she gave in and had a few pairs of breeches made especially for Laurelen. Now the girl was grateful for them, because traveling in a skirt would be very awkward. She also put on a warm grey shirt and a pair of soft but tough leather moccasins. She crept silently out of the room and found the corner where she had hidden a bag of dried meat and a water skin, taken discreetly from the kitchen when no one was looking.  
  
Now came the hardest part. It was just after sunset, and Aragorn would be leaving at any moment. But Laurelen had to find a way to get past all the other elves who habitually stayed out all night under the stars. She stayed in the darkest shadows, and somehow managed to get by the keen sight of the others. But as she looked back, she saw Aragorn coming. He was on his way out of the valley.  
  
Laurelen cursed silently to herself. She would have to beat him out, because if she crossed the river after him, then he would be sure to hear her and send her back. Making sure no one was watching, she broke into a soundless sprint that carried her swiftly out of the valley.  
  
Finally she reached the river, and crossed hastily. She was just climbing out on the bank when she happened to turn and see Aragorn approaching. Luckily for her, there were many boulders and trees on this side of the river, so he could not see her. She slipped silently behind one of the trees and watched as he began to cross the river. He reached the other side, and broke into a nearly soundless, ground-covering lope.  
  
As soon as he was a safe distance away, the elf girl followed him, flitting quietly between and behind trees and into shadows. The night wore on, and finally Aragorn stopped to rest as dawn approached. Laurelen found another hiding spot, and allowed herself some rest. But soon Aragorn was ready to go on, and Laurelen moved tirelessly behind, always following and hiding.  
  
Aragorn did not find her until the fourth day. Laurelen had run out of food, so she was trying to catch fish in a stream they passed. Unfortunately, she was so intent on the fish that she did not notice that Aragorn had also stopped to get a drink farther upstream. Laurelen almost had a fish in her hands, but missed at the last minute, and dove for it as it slipped away.  
  
Aragorn heard the slight splash. Thinking it was an animal, he got out his bow and put an arrow on the string. He was running low on food, too. He crept toward the sound, and Laurelen was too busy trying to keep the fish she had caught from getting away to hear his approach.  
  
She nearly wound up with an arrow in her. But Aragorn stopped himself just in time, carefully letting the tension out of the bowstring when he saw that it was a person and not an animal. However, when he found out who it was, he felt like shooting her anyway. Laurelen still had not seen him, so he set his bow carefully on the bank and jumped out of the trees and into the water.  
  
He hauled her out of the stream by the scruff of her neck so quickly that she had no time to protest or fight back. In the process, she also dropped her fish on the bank, where it flopped about before finally sliding back into the water. It swam away gratefully, which was what Laurelen was wishing she could do at the moment.  
  
Aragorn hadn't said anything yet. He just looked at her with his stormy grey eyes, somehow making her feel very small, though she stood almost at eye level with him. He glared down at her as she rubbed her neck where he had choked her by pulling her out of the water. But his looks were bad enough without him speaking. It is not easy to meet the eyes of an angry Ranger, even for an elf, as Laurelen found that day.  
  
Finally, Aragorn said, "I suppose if I tell you to go back, you would just follow me anyway." It was a statement, not a question. Laurelen nodded, looking at the ground. "If you have something to say, then look at me when you say it."  
  
Laurelen looked up obediently, and was barely able to answer "yes" before she had to look back down again.  
  
Aragorn turned and bent walked back to where he had left his pack. Without a backward glance, he started walking down the path he was following. Laurelen stood there watching, unsure what to do. Aragorn turned around. "Are you coming?"  
  
Laurelen nodded happily and scrambled after him, really smiling for the first time in years.  
  
It was then that Laurelen became Aragorn's traveling companion. She followed faithfully, watching and learning the ways of the Rangers. Always she remained near him, and earned the nickname "Shadow" from others who met them. She met the other Rangers, and they taught her to fight with sword, bow, and knife. Aragorn taught her to hunt and how to track and survive in the wilds. But most of all, he taught her to be confident in herself and in her decisions. 


	11. Chapter eleven

Two years after the departure of Aragorn and Laurelen, Poppy was wandering about on the grass near the entrance to the valley, wondering what to do with herself. Everyone else was within the confines of the dining hall, talking, singing, and eating. But Poppy had grown bored of the endless ritual, very uncharacteristic of a hobbit.  
  
She sat down on the slightly damp ground and began idly pulling up clumps of grass and clover. She heard a noise like soft footsteps coming toward her, but kept her head down, thinking it was someone coming to ask why she was outside alone. The footsteps came closer, and finally stopped not more than three feet from her. Poppy sighed, and finally looked up.  
  
She almost squeaked with surprise when she saw two hooded and cloaked figures standing there. She squinted up at them, not really afraid so much as startled. Strangers often came to Elrond's valley, seeking his counsel.  
  
The two were vaguely familiar, though she could not make out their faces as they were hidden in the shadows made by the hoods. One of them stepped forward, hand on the hilt of a sword in his belt. With the other hand, he pushed back his hood, revealing not a he, but a she.  
  
Poppy looked for a moment, blinking in the sunlight, then gasped and jumped to her feet as she realized who it was. It was Laurelen!  
  
But this was not the Laurelen she had last seen two years ago. This new person had a different look to her, besides the travel-stained clothing. The elf's face no longer registered any of the blankness that had become so characteristic of her. In its place was the fire that had been hidden for so many years. Not only had all the hatred and anger surfaced, but also a joy that had been so deeply buried, few thought it had even existed. But there was another change that was also unseen. Laurelen now exuded a self- confidence that bordered on arrogance, and more than made up for what she lacked in height, for though she had indeed grown taller, she still stood only at the shoulders of most other elves.  
  
Now the other person stepped forward and threw back his hood, revealing Aragorn's face. "Well, Poppy, did you survive without your friend?"  
  
"Y-yes, sir," stammered the halfling. "Should.should I tell Lord Elrond you have returned?"  
  
Aragorn sighed, and Poppy noticed that his face was lined with grief. "No, young one. I must speak with him. Laurelen, I trust you can find your quarters?" The side of his mouth quirked up slightly at some private joke.  
  
Laurelen grimaced at him. "I think I can manage." Her face softened. "Arwen will be looking for you."  
  
Aragorn only nodded, and strode away. Poppy stood slowly. "What was that about?" she asked.  
  
"What?" Laurelen replied with a deceptively innocent look.  
  
"You know, about finding your quarters."  
  
"Oh, nothing." The elf rolled her eyes slightly. "It's just that my sense of direction isn't quite what it should be. I got us rather lost one night when Aragorn let me lead." She grinned and shrugged. "But we have some talking to do. I hope your elvish has improved, because I'm feeling rather tired and I don't want to have to think about what I'm saying. I have missed you, my friend."  
  
Poppy smiled and immediately switched to elvish, showing off her improved skill. "I have missed thee also, friend."  
  
Laurelen laughed. "Then come, let us walk together."  
  
* * *  
  
The halfling and the elf strolled together on the grass, creating an amusing sight for any watchers as Poppy struggled to match the pace that Laurelen's longer legs set. Laurelen had already told her friend the story of her travels, and Poppy was only sad that she didn't have an exciting tale to tell also.  
  
Now they walked in silence, simply enjoying each other's company. They wandered down by a stream, watching small fish dart from shadow to shadow, their silver flanks shimmering during their brief moments in sunlight. Laurelen would occasionally break into a song. The songs were none that Poppy knew, but when she asked where her friend had learned them, the elf would only reply, "Here and there. Shall I teach them to you?" So they spent the remainder of the day singing.  
  
Finally, the afternoon turned to evening, and they were summoned to dinner. Poppy almost felt sorry for the elf who came to tell them. Though he stood a full head taller that Laurelen, he could barely meet her eyes for more than a moment. It seemed to embarrass him more than scare him.  
  
Poppy later asked Arwen about it. During the two years that Laurelen and Aragorn had been gone, they had spent much of their time together, but Poppy was not expecting the troubled look that crossed Arwen's face.  
  
Arwen seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally said, "She bears her scars as much in her eyes as on her back, and they are not comfortable to see." But apart from this cryptic message, she would say nothing.  
  
Poppy accepted this, and went to find her friend. 


	12. Chapter twelve

Laurelen was indeed changed. She was far more open to others, and began to laugh along with them. But everyone learned that they would have to be wary, for the slightest comment could set her on them, eyes blazing with anger and resentment, when just moments before she had been laughing and singing. Whenever she turned her wrath on another elf, they tolerated it with an embarrassed silence. Poppy was amazed that Laurelen could inspire so much unease, and secretly found it funny that her friend could and would intimidate people who were so much taller than her.  
  
Finally, though, Elrond could tolerate no more. He was tired of seeing his people forced to endure Laurelen's tirades, even though most lasted only a few seconds. During another of her outbursts, he finally stood and said, "Laurelen, save your anger! There are better uses for it."  
  
The young elf turned to the lord of Rivendell with blazing eyes and a snarl curling her lip. "What makes you think I would listen to you? You have no claim on me." Her voice was harsh, low and deadly.  
  
The other elves standing around gasped in surprise. No one had ever spoken so disrespectfully to the master of Rivendell.  
  
For a moment Elrond closed his eyes, and it seemed he would make no reply. But when he opened his eyes, they were snapping with anger. "Heed me, young one! No person here has ever tried to harm you. And yet you walk as if all of Middle-Earth was against you. You behave as a spoiled child, a spoiled human child! If you will not be more civil to others, you shall spend the rest of your days in solitude." He paused to take a breath, and went on in a softer voice. "I will ban you from Rivendell, if I must."  
  
Laurelen opened her mouth in surprise, and then closed it again, not sure what to say. But she could not contain the anger she held for long. "Fine! I do not need your company, or the company of anyone else here." She deliberately avoided Poppy's eyes as she stormed out of the room, leaving the stunned halfling with a hurt look on her face. Aragorn and Arwen started to follow, but the stern look they received from Elrond stopped them.  
  
The lord of Rivendell closed his eyes again and sat down wearily. "She must learn this lesson herself."  
  
* * *  
  
Elrond forbid anyone from going out and searching for Laurelen. And sure enough, three days later she returned. She was pale and dirty, and there were tearstains running down her face. She looked as if she had not rested since she left.  
  
But the most remarkable thing was the change in her attitude, which was most apparent in her eyes. They still had fire in them, and always would, but Laurelen had made a decision to control the fire.  
  
She went straight to Elrond, even before finding something to eat. He was standing under the walkway that faced one of the smaller courtyards, discussing something with his two sons and Aragorn. She walked slowly to meet him, and bowed her head humbly when he turned to her. And in the presence of Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir, and Aragorn, she apologized for her actions.  
  
Elrond bowed his head gracefully. "I accept your apology, and I welcome you back among us."  
  
"Thank you, sir," Laurelen replied. "But do you know where I may find Poppy?"  
  
"I can answer that," Aragorn said. "She is out in the stables with Arwen." He smiled. "It was all we could do to keep her from hunting you down herself."  
  
Laurelen's eyes widened. "Really? Well, thank you." She turned quickly and sprinted off, eager to see her friend again.  
  
When she reached the stables, she was encountered with the warm smell of the horses. She had never really been in the stables before, only seen them from the outside. And she had seen elves taking horses out of the stables, but not once had she encountered one of the elvish horses up close. She and Aragorn had ridden horse often, but they were usually common ones, not very intelligent or pretty.  
  
So now when she entered the stable, her eyes widened. The horses all turned to look at her, hoping for a treat or a ride. Their beautiful dished faces and large intelligent eyes were set on long slender necks that stretched out to sniff at her. And it was then that Laurelen fell in love with the horses. She had always liked them, but never really desired one. And now as she saw them up close, she wished to have one for her own.  
  
Poppy found Laurelen standing in the middle of the stable, stroking the nose of one of the horses. Its eyes were drooping closed under the soft touch, and it looked about to fall asleep. "They're beautiful, aren't they?" Poppy said softly.  
  
Laurelen jumped and turned swiftly. "I didn't hear you." The horse nudged at her hand, and sighed regretfully when she didn't pay any attention to him. "I came looking for you, and got.distracted."  
  
Poppy smiled. "I'm surprised you've never been down here before. It's rather peaceful, especially this time of day. Everyone is in for the noon meal, and no one travels in the middle of the day. What did you want, anyway?"  
  
"I came to say I am sorry," Laurelen said softly. Then she looked about. "I was told Arwen was here, too. Where is she?"  
  
"I forgive you. I knew you didn't mean what you said. Arwen was here."  
  
"I am here." Arwen's soft voice startled both of them. "Welcome back, Laurelen." As she spoke, the horses lifted up their heads, and shrill whinnies came from their throats. Arwen smiled. "They welcome you also." 


	13. Chapter thirteen

That night, long after Poppy was asleep, Laurelen was sitting near the large window in their room, when Arwen walked in softly. Laurelen felt the slight breeze that her presence created, and turned to see who it was. Arwen's bright blue eyes reflected the starlight, making them seem to glow.  
  
"Will you come for a walk with me, Laurí? You seem to have as little inclination as myself to rest." Her voice was low, so as not to disturb Poppy, though the young halfling could have slept through an avalanche and an earthquake.  
  
Laurelen nodded. "I was just about to get up and go outside anyway." She stood slowly and smoothly, moving with a conservative grace. Her two years traveling with Aragorn had taught her that much.  
  
The two elves walked out of the room, and under the stars. As soon as they were clear of the stone structure, Arwen's pace quickened. It was then that Laurelen noticed that she was not wearing one of the long dresses or robes that she usually wore, but breeches and knee-high boots, similar to what Laurelen was wearing.  
  
"Where are we going?" the young elf asked curiously.  
  
"Wait and see," Arwen replied with a smile. "It will take a while to get there, so restrain your curiosity for a while."  
  
Laurelen fell silent, concentrating on the soft grass she was walking on. It came up to her mid-calves, and made a faint rustling noise as it rubbed against her boots. She was feeling a little tired. She hadn't rested for three days, and even an elf will feel the effects of that. And on top of that, her stomach was full, and that made her a little drowsy. Suddenly she felt her mind slipping away, wandering off to distant forests, and walking bright paths under strange stars. She shook her head violently, trying to keep alert.  
  
Arwen noticed her abrupt movement. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know. I think I'm tired. My mind is sort of.wandering off."  
  
Arwen stopped for a moment. "Oh. I'd forgotten." She walked on, thinking to herself. Finally she said, "I had forgotten that you were so young. Don't fight it when your mind does that. It is something you must learn; to be able to rest your mind while walking in this world. It is a gift given to Elves."  
  
Laurelen blinked a few times. "But what if I wander off the path?"  
  
"You won't. Even though your mind is resting, you are alert enough in this world that you can follow a path, and come fully awake at a moment's notice."  
  
Laurelen nodded. "I will try it." Her mind began to wander its strange paths again, and this time she did not resist.  
  
* * *  
  
It seemed to Laurelen that no time at all had passed when Arwen touched her shoulder gently. "We are here."  
  
Laurelen looked around her. She felt much more refreshed, and her mind was clearer. She was in a forest glade. The trees surrounding her were young, barely older than herself. A fallen log rested on one edge, its enormous size testifying to its age before it had succumbed to the elements. "Where are we?"  
  
Arwen climbed up the log and sat gracefully on it, pulling her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around them. "This is a very special place. I'm told that my mother used to bring me here, or come by herself, just so she could be alone and in peace."  
  
Laurelen swallowed nervously. "If you don't mind me asking, where is your mother?"  
  
Arwen rested her chin on her knees. "She left Middle-Earth many years ago. But I was so young that I don't remember."  
  
"I wish I could say that." The bitterness in the young elf's voice was unmistakable. Her hands clenched and unclenched as she stood gazing into the sky through the trees, trying to keep tears from spilling down her face. She looked Arwen full in the eyes and said, "I still remember the murder of my parents as if it had happened yesterday." Her lower lip trembled and she looked down. This time she could not hold back the tears that ran off the end of her nose. She knelt in the grass, hands covering her face.  
  
Arwen jumped softly from her perch and knelt beside Laurelen. She said nothing, simply put her arms around the girl and gave her a shoulder to cry on.  
  
Laurelen struggled desperately to control her tears. Her jaw muscles stood out as she clamped her teeth together. But Arwen said, "No, let the tears come. If you hold them back, they become bitterness, or anger. Do not be afraid to cry."  
  
Laurelen spoke through her clenched teeth. "I cannot. I have spent so many years trying not to cry, I have forgotten how to allow it."  
  
"You have courage, Laurí, but you must know that even the bravest weep. It is a lie to hold your tears back, for you tell the world that you are fine, but inside, you are being eaten away."  
  
Laurelen looked up, surprised. "How do you know this?"  
  
Now it was Arwen's turn to look bitter. "Even though I do not remember my mother, that does not mean I don't miss her. I used to wonder why she left, if she really cared for my brothers and me. I resented the fact that I had to grow up without her. I still had my father, yes, but his sadness at losing her only made my pain harder to bear. Thankfully for me, I still had my grandmother. And now I have Aragorn." She smiled.  
  
"And I have both of you," replied Laurelen.  
  
Arwen looked at her thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose you do."  
  
A/N: Hey, if any of you out there are a little confused by this chapter, please tell me when you review, or you can e-mail me. I don't think my writing was very clear in this chapter. 


	14. Chapter fourteen

A/N: Woo hoo! I finally got another chapter done! It's my longest one yet! I'm so proud. *wipes a tear from her eye* Thanks for your reviews, everyone. Please hang in there. I'm sorry my chapters take so long to get up, but I've got school and everything *grumble*. I don't know if I'll get another chapter up soon or not. It might be a month, it might be a week. But I promise you all, as soon as school's out I'll update more often. So enjoy this chapter, and please review!  
  
The next day, and for many days after, found Laurelen a very different person. There were still times when few people could approach her, but on the whole she was quieter and more considerate, and beginning to be able to talk to others without being defensive. She began to crack the hard shell she had been living in.  
  
But it seemed that what had changed her most was not her time alone. It was the response of the horses upon her return. She and Poppy now spent much of their time in the stables, grooming, feeding, or playing with the horses. Most of them were Elvish-bred, but the odd few were ordinary horses stabled there in case of an emergency, and these Poppy and Laurelen rode often, though it made others smile to see a small halfling astride a tall horse.  
  
The demands of the world kept Aragorn traveling often, and Laurelen went with him many times over the years. Occasionally Poppy would come along, too. Once she and Poppy went with Arwen, Elladan, and Elrohir to Lothlorien. This trip affected Laurelen greatly, and she realized the plight of the Elves of Middle-Earth. Poppy was also saddened at the thought that those she lived with and loved were fading away.  
  
But the highlight of these years came one cool spring day. Laurelen and Poppy had often had to use horses when traveling, and they always had to borrow them. The horses listened well enough, but both the halfling and the elf longed for one of their own.  
  
Early in the morning, Aragorn and Arwen came to awaken them. Before they were fully awake, they had blindfolds around their eyes and were being led around. And around and around. Finally, both of them smelled the scent of horses, but they were so dizzy that they could not tell where they were. The blindfolds were taken off, and they found themselves in a huge field, with horses grazing all around them.  
  
"What are we doing here?" Laurelen asked, confused. She didn't remember ever being here before.  
  
"The choosing of a horse is not something that can be done for you," Aragorn replied, hiding a smile behind a hand. "So pick your horses."  
  
Poppy and Laurelen looked at each other, amazed. "Really?"  
  
"Yes. And Poppy, I might point out that small mare over there for you. The chestnut one," Arwen said.  
  
Poppy looked, and sure enough, there was a pony-sized mare grazing out in the field. "Do I just walk out there?" she asked.  
  
"Try calling her. But don't use Common."  
  
Poppy shrugged and gave it a try. She cupped her hands around her mouth and called, "Hey pony, come here."  
  
The small mare lifted her head and came trotting over, snorting and kicking up clods of dirt with her heels. She went straight up to Poppy and put her head in the startled hobbit's arms.  
  
Poppy gently stroked the pony's face, tracing the outline of the bright white star in the middle of her forehead. "Veryalen," she said softly. "Your name is Veryalen." The pony snorted and nuzzled her hands.  
  
Laurelen was still searching the herd. She spotted one horse who was standing apart from the rest on the opposite side of the field.  
  
"What's wrong with that one?" she asked, pointing at the horse.  
  
Arwen shrugged. "We don't know. She has never been very friendly with other horses. It's as if she doesn't care."  
  
Laurelen continued to watch. Suddenly, as if she knew she was being watched, the mare lifted her head from the grass and began trotting around, tossing her head and arching her neck. One of the other horses kicked at her, and she dodged out of the way and took off at a gallop across the field. Her black tail was lifted high and flew out behind like a flag.  
  
The young elf smiled. "I want her."  
  
Aragorn frowned. "There are better choices."  
  
Laurelen shook her head emphatically. "No. I want her."  
  
Suddenly a new voice came from behind them. "If you want that one, you must catch her first."  
  
Laurelen stiffened momentarily, then closed her eyes, as if in thought. "I will." She marched off into the field without bothering to look behind her at the newcomer, who happened to be Elrond. His two sons were also with him, and they grinned at each other as they watched the young elf striding out among the horses.  
  
"What think you, Elladan? Will she do it?" said Elrohir quietly to his brother.  
  
Elladan squinted his eyes against the sun. "Aye, she will, I think. That mare has long needed someone."  
  
But Laurelen was unaware of these quiet exchanges. She was focused solely on the mare, who was still flying about, bucking and tossing her head. The elf drew steadily nearer, and was soon close enough to see the spirited glint in the mare's eye, and to feel the pounding of the hooves as they hit the soft earth. Laurelen laughed aloud as the horse executed a particularly high leap.  
  
The mare snorted in surprise at the soft sound, and came to a dead stop, her ears pricked toward the elf. She stretched her neck out, nostrils flared, trying to get the scent of this strange person. Laurelen's eyes sparkled mischievously as she stepped back out of the mare's scent range. The mare laid her ears back momentarily and took a few steps forward, still sniffing the air. Laurelen took another step back, and again the mare moved forward, this time a few more steps. She was almost within touching range, but Laurelen moved back again. The mare moved forward again, but this time Laurelen took off running.  
  
The elf laughed aloud as she saw the mare chasing her, looking rather irritated that this person would not let herself be smelled. Laurelen dodged to one side, and the mare followed, pivoting on her hind legs.  
  
Now it had become a game. The pair ran back and forth across the grass, dodging each other and the various objects they found in their path. Laurelen's heart leapt within her, just as the mare leapt and twisted beside her. Finally the elf slowed, and the mare turned to look at her, wondering if they would keep playing.  
  
Laurelen saw the joy in the mare's eye, and it matched her own. She stopped and allowed the mare to walk up to her. Finally the mare was able to sniff her, and seemed to like the scent. She nudged Laurelen's arm, leaving a dirty smear. Laurelen smiled and wiped it off on her breeches. She lifted one hand and gently touched the mare's neck. "Wouldst thou like to play again?" she asked softly, the Elvish words rolling gently off her tongue.  
  
The mare tossed her head and whinnied. Her cry told Laurelen of the loneliness she had felt. With tears in her eyes, Laurelen stroked the mare's bright white blaze. "Be lonely no more, my friend. Come with me." Her last statement was half hopeful question.  
  
The mare seemed to consider for a moment. She turned her head to look back at the herd, and then looked at Laurelen out of one large sparkling eye. She put her head in the girl's arms and snorted contentedly.  
  
Laurelen smiled, playing with the mare's ears. She bent slightly and whispered into them, speaking in the High Elven tongue. "Anantienyë tye esse, ar melánenya íra. Esselya ná Sulien." I have given thee a name, and my eternal love. Thy name is Sulien, Daughter of the Wind.  
  
Sulien snorted her approval, and the two turned and walked toward the small group that awaited them.  
  
Elladan smiled softly as he watched the pair approach. "Good luck to you," he whispered as he turned and walked back toward Rivendell. 


	15. Chapter fifteen

Poppy and Laurelen soon grew very close to their horses, and spent much of their time riding the valley of Rivendell, exploring places that would have taken much longer to reach on foot. Sulien had a mischievous streak in her, and she would gleefully try to buck Laurelen off, and then run away. But she only did it when they were near the fortress.  
  
One day Poppy and Laurelen were out riding on the level grassy are that made up the bottom of the valley as usual. But today they decided to head out of the valley. Both elf and halfling preferred to ride bareback, and there was no saddle that would have fit Sulien's broad back anyway. They rode up the narrow trail that was the only way in or out, unless you happened to have wings. They soon reached the river that guarded the valley, and the horses waded out into it. Poppy thought they had gone far enough, but Laurelen argued that there was plenty of daylight left, and besides, there were some interesting places on the other side.  
  
At that moment, Sulien decided it would be fun to roll in the cool water. It came only up to her belly, so she tucked her legs and dropped into the water, neck stretched out to keep her head at the surface. Laurelen was totally unprepared and got dunked under. By the time she came up, spluttering and gasping for breath, Sulien was on the other side of the river looking back at the elf.  
  
Laurelen stood in waist-high water, dripping wet and glaring at her horse, who was looking rather pleased with herself. Poppy was trying her hardest not to laugh, and nearly choking herself. But a signal from a suddenly serious Laurelen stopped the merriment. The elf cocked her head toward the road, obviously hearing something. She waded out of the water to stand by Sulien, who was looking down the road with her ears pricked.  
  
The sound soon became distinguishable as hoof beats. Poppy observed Laurelen's body tense as a rider came around the bend and stopped before them.  
  
He seemed like an old man, with a long grey beard and hair that matched. His clothing was also grey-colored, obviously well-worn and patched. He rode a nondescript brown horse, a lanky creature that could obviously go for many miles, though not necessarily very fast. The rider seemed surprised at meeting them, but this quickly turned to amusement as he beheld the spectacle before him. "Well," he said, his eyes twinkling, "I've had strange welcoming parties before, but none so strange as this. A sopping wet elf and a hobbit that rides bareback. Very strange." He seemed to be trying very hard not to smile, as his mouth kept twitching.  
  
Laurelen did not trust the old man. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Who are you, and what business do you have here?" Though the stranger had spoken the Common Tongue, the elf's words were sharp, clipped Elvish, her mistrust making the usually beautiful words sound rather harsh.  
  
The old man raised a bushy grey eyebrow. "Well now, what kind of greeting is that?" He seemed to have understood Laurelen perfectly well, and continued, "You ought to learn to be more trusting. Still, I am Gandalf, and I come at the bidding of Elrond." He seemed to look over their heads. "Here comes my real welcoming party."  
  
Laurelen did not bother to turn around, but kept her eyes fixed on Gandalf. She could hear more horses coming across the river behind her, but she did not trust this old man, who was more than he seemed. She sensed power emanating from him, something that only a very perceptive human or halfling would have felt, and the magnitude of it made her uneasy.  
  
Now there were other elves around her and Poppy. Among them were Elrond's twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir. They moved their horses forward until they were flanking Laurelen, and Elrohir spoke to the grey old rider. "On behalf of my father, I have come to welcome you to Rivendell."  
  
Gandalf bowed his head slightly, and this time answered in Elvish. "My thanks, Elrohir." He looked directly at Laurelen and winked.  
  
A growl rose in her throat before she could stop it, and Elladan turned a surprised look on her.  
  
"You do not trust him." It was a flat statement, no hint of a question in it.  
  
Laurelen shook her head, but said nothing. The company was starting to move off, Gandalf and Elrohir in the lead. She leapt back onto Sulien's still- wet back and they turned to follow. She motioned to Poppy to go on ahead. Her mind was distracted by the encounter, and she did not want to talk to anyone yet, especially a curious hobbit.  
  
She waited for Elladan to take the hint and move on with the rest of the company, but he stubbornly ignored the look she sent him, keeping his horse right next to her as she leapt to Sulien's back with a resigned sigh. She wondered why he chose this particular moment to be separated from his twin, seeing as how they were almost always together. Why would he want to stay back here with me?  
  
With one final glare, Laurelen turned her horse to follow the company. Elladan moved to keep in step with her, and was silent for a few moments. As they rode back into the trees, he turned to her and asked quietly, "Why?"  
  
Laurelen knew what he was asking, but she played innocent, pretending not to know what he was talking about. "Why what?" she asked, her face completely blank. She felt Elladan's grey eyes glaring at her, but refused to look at him, instead seeming intent on untangling her horse's mane.  
  
"Why can you not trust anyone?" he asked finally. "What cause have we ever given you to mistrust us? You behave as if the whole world is against you, when in fact all we wish is for your happiness." The softness of his voice belied the resentment he felt. He studied her closely, watching the blankness of her face turn to anger. But even so, he was not prepared for the explosion that resulted from his questions.  
  
"What would you understand?!" Laurelen yelled at him. "You know nothing of what I have been through. For nearly half a century, I had no one to trust. For that time, the world was against me. Do you think that habits such as these die so easily?! It is for my own sanity and survival that I continue to trust no one!" Angrily, she turned Sulien off the trail and into the trees.  
  
Elladan was surprised at the bitterness in her voice, but he was not put off so easily. He followed her, his nimble horse weaving in and out of the trees easily. Laurelen heard him following, and pushed her horse faster, finally moving at a near-gallop. Sulien dodged around trees and bounded over logs, carrying Laurelen quickly out of sight.  
  
The son of Elrond did not try to keep up. He kept his horse to a walk and followed the trail of churned-up dirt left by the sharp hooves of her horse. 


	16. Chapter sixteen

It took Elladan nearly half and hour to find where Laurelen had finally stopped. She was standing in a small clearing, arms wrapped loosely around Sulien's neck as she buried her face in the black mane. Her angry tears and shuddering breaths covered the soft plod of his horse's hooves.  
  
He slid gently off the stallion's back, his feet making no noise as they touched the ground. He stood for a moment, to see if she would notice his presence. But she was oblivious, too wrapped up in her own pain. Finally, he could stand her weeping no longer. He walked forward quietly and gently touched the girl's shoulder.  
  
Laurelen's body shuddered at the unexpected touch, but she did not lift her face from Sulien's neck. Elladan reached for her hands and gently untangled them from the long mane. She almost resisted, but decided that it was not worth the fight, exhausted as she already was from anger and grief. He turned her gently towards him, lifting her chin so he could look at her face. She lifted her pain-filled eyes to him, and he was startled at their color. Almost gold they looked, instead of their usual muddy green-brown. He looked down at her dirt-streaked face and was filled with compassion. "I will try to understand you, if you will trust me enough to speak."  
  
Laurelen's eyes flickered momentarily with doubt, then she dropped them and nodded slowly. "I trust you." Her voice broke as she spoke, and she sucked in a shuddering breath. She calmed herself as best she could, and when she glanced back up at Elladan, her eyes were their normal color. "What do you wish to know?"  
  
Elladan smiled to himself. It was so like the scene before the council when she had first arrived. "Everything."  
  
"You know my story already. What more is there to tell?"  
  
"You did not tell all of your story. What happened after your capture? Assuredly it was while you where in slavery that you learned this distrust. Will you tell me?"  
  
She looked at him for a moment, her expression unreadable. "Aye." She sat down on the soft ground, cross-legged. Elladan followed suit, waiting for her to begin. After a time of silence, she asked "Where should I begin?"  
  
With another question, he answered, "Why do you mistrust so?"  
  
Laurelen looked away from him. Her eyes came to rest on the two horses who grazed nearby. "Who have I ever had to trust?" She smiled bitterly. "My parents I trusted with my life, and they could not protect me. And they were all I had. I learned to look out for myself. I was not the only slave captured by those.those." Her voice changed as she spit out every word she could think of to describe orcs and their kin.  
  
Elladan could not help but be startled at the harshness of her speech. Where did she learn such words? he thought to himself. He himself knew only half of the curses and swear words she uttered.  
  
Abruptly her angry flow of words stopped. She continued bitterly, "There are no words to describe them that would do justice to their evil. I was not the only slave taken, but slaves do not trust each other. And Men." Her lip curled back in a snarl. "Men cause the worst harm. They allow orcs to roam their lands freely, simply for the slaves they bring in! It was so with these orcs. They sold me to the men in exchange for the freedom to defile the land with their evil." Her face twisted and an angry tear spilled down her cheek. "Shipbuilders." She spit out the word as if it burned her tongue. "Shipbuilders they were. They used slaved to build ships that more slaves would row for them. They used slaves to cut down the trees." Her voice died off into a mumble, and her body began to shake violently. She turned to him with tear-filled eyes, the first time she had looked at him since she began her tale. "Can you imagine hearing the death- cries of thousands of trees as they are cut down?" She nodded her head at the shocked expression on his face. "Aye, they cut down old forest! Not trees they had planted, but trees which had taken root at the beginning of the world! They cried out to me to save them, and I could not! I was forced to hear it for years, not only the trees that fell around me, but the trees that cried out as I killed them! I asked myself why I did not simply allow myself to die. To starve myself to death, and be gone from the pain. But now I know that always I hoped to get free, that as long as I was alive, I could dream of being free again. As the years passed, that hope waned. One day I simply refused to work any longer. I refused to kill any more of the trees. They beat me, with whips and chains, boots, clubs, anything they could find." Her voice was oddly calm, and now it changed to prideful as she declared, "But I survived! I escaped! They left me for dead while there was yet life in me. I lay where I had fallen until night came, and then I saw my chance for freedom.  
  
"I ran. Mile upon mile I ran. I could stop only for drink, for I was pursued the whole way. There was no rest for me, nor food, nor sleep. And no time to wash the blood from my back. As fast and enduring as our race is, even we cannot compete with men on horseback. Three weeks I was pursued, before my strength finally gave out, just as I reached the town of Bree." She looked hard at him. "I nearly died. I left a trail of blood halfway across Middle-Earth. You know the rest of the story."  
  
Elladan swallowed quickly and nodded, unable to speak because of the unexpected grief for her that burned his heart. He swallowed again and tried to speak past the lump in his throat. "Thank you, Laurelen. I understand you a little better now."  
  
She nodded and looked at him, then realized her mistake as she saw the tears that filled his shadowed grey eyes. Her own eyes filled and spilled over. She dropped her face into her hands, shoulders shaking with emotion. The telling of her story had brought up memories she had tried her hardest to forget. But oddly enough, she felt better for it. A burden had been lifted from her shoulders, because she no longer bore it alone. She lifted her face and gave Elladan a weak smile.  
  
The relief in his eyes rewarded her, and his soft smile answered hers. He stood and offered his hands to help her up. After a moment's hesitation, she accepted. She was not prepared for the unexpected jolt his touch gave her. As she stood, their hands remained clasped, and she found herself entranced by his eyes, as he was with hers. But after a moment, Elladan seemed to remember himself, and dropped her hands. He smiled at her and said, "It is a beautiful day; let's not waste it here. I can think of no better way to spend the afternoon than on horseback." He turned and whistled, and his horse came trotting over, Sulien following at a rather slower pace.  
  
Laurelen could not help but smile at her reluctant horse. She climbed onto Sulien's broad muscled back, and almost immediately felt better. Somehow, she always found it impossible to be grumpy or sad with the prospect of a ride before her. She looked about her from her perch, and frowned slightly. "Where are we?"  
  
Elladan could only laugh. 


	17. Chapter seventeen

A/N: Okay, this is a short chapter, because that's the way it worked out. The next piece would have distracted from this particular bit of sub-plot. I wanted you all to think on this one for a while. But aside from that, what do you guys think of it? Tell me if the dialogue makes sense and such. I want some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Don't just tell me it's good. Tell me what I can do better! Okay, enough ranting for now. Too many late nights.  
  
Elladan smiled up at Laurelen. "Lost the trail so soon, lady? Even Aragorn could not teach you a sense of direction? Well, you are lucky mine is better. I know where we are."  
  
Laurelen glared at him and opened her mouth to make a retort, but he cut her off with a grin and a wave of his hand. "I forgive you, Laurelen. I have lived here for more than two thousand years; you cannot live in a place for that long without eventually finding all the secluded spots like this one." He gestured about the clearing. "My brother and I used to come here often, simply to be alone. Especially after our mother left."  
  
A shiver ran down Laurelen's spine at the look in Elladan's eyes. They were dark with sadness, but also anger and vengence. She did not know that the same look was often seen in her eyes.  
  
With a strange smile on his face, Elladan continued, "It is a story you must hear, if you have not already." When she shook her head, he nodded and swung up onto his horse. "Then I shall tell you as we ride." He swung his horse around with a touch of his leg. "Come, this way."  
  
They soon found a little-used trail weaving through the trees. Elladan smiled to himself and motioned for Laurelen to follow as they followed the trail. He was silent for a moment, and then began to tell the story of his mother, Celebrían.  
  
Laurelen listened grimly as he told of what started as a simple trip to visit her mother, Galadriel, in Loríen, and then of her capture by orcs while traveling back to Rivendell. He spoke with growing anger of how he and Elrohir rescued their mother, and the torture she had undergone. His voice shook as he explained that they had come too late, and how his father grieved when Celebrían departed for the Havens. With eyes blazing, he turned to Laurelen. "Do I not have as much reason as you to hate? I cannot trust even my own race to protect my mother. All of her escort were killed, and what for? She still suffered!" His sudden outburst seemed to surprise him, and he quieted. Finally he spoke again, with a voice soft and rough. "Alas. Alas that such evil should come to us, especially to my father. Already he bears the weight of Mordor. As we all do to some measure." His eyes were full of tears as he turned to Laurelen again. "That is why we have each other: to share the burden. But without trust, you bear it alone. I learned to trust again. Can you?"  
  
Sulien stopped of her own accord, sensing her rider's turmoil as she answered the question. "I can. Already I have learned to trust you, and your brother, and sister. Aragorn I trust, and Poppy, of course. But not wholly. I cannot trust anyone with my life or future. Can you understand that?"  
  
Elladan slid off his horse and looked up at her. He place a hand on Sulien's neck and answered, "I understand. It will take many years to heal. I know." He thought to himself, but did not say out loud, Someday I hope you will trust me fully.  
  
Gently, Laurelen also got off her horse so she could look him in the eye. She could not help but grin a little as she found she came only up to his chin. But her eyes were serious as she said, "Thank you."  
  
With a courtly bow, Elladan replied, "You are welcome." He picked up her hand and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. "I am sorry to have judged you so."  
  
Laurelen cut him off with shake of her hand. "Do not apologize. Only good came of it." She gripped his hand tighter. "Now I know I am not alone."  
  
His free hand reached to brush a wayward lock of hair out of her eyes and came to rest on the side of her face. "You will never be alone."  
  
She nodded slowly, and they turned to follow the trail once more, this time on foot. The horses followed behind, and for once Sulien seemed content to be beside another horse. The two elves walked on, hands clasped firmly, and for the first time in a long while, there was peace in Laurelen's heart. 


End file.
